When a disaster strikes, all members of the family are affected. That’s why federal law requires states to incorporate planning for pets and livestock into their emergency plans. In Pennsylvania, that plan started in 2004 with the formation of the Pennsylvania Animal Response Team (PART). PART coordinates the efforts of 50 active volunteer teams, totaling over 500 volunteers, to rescue animals during times of disaster. PART’s work supports and supplements emergency responders, so they do not have to divert their resources to rescue and shelter animals.

The PART structure includes a countywide element called CART which provides disaster responses within a particular county. Their coordination efforts have assisted in:

• The Norfolk Southern disaster, where the CART team assisted in the evacuation of a farm animal sanctuary from Beaver County, helping to move dozens of animals including goats, horses, and cows to a safer area.
• Providing shelters during Hurricane Irene, conducting search and rescue during Hurricane Sandy, and operating a mega shelter for the Ice Storms of 2014.
• An apartment fire in Allegheny County that affected more than 30 units, providing pet care kits and assisting with pet friendly hotel placements.
• Seizing 250 chihuahuas from a home alongside the Office of Dog Law.
• Training hundreds of mounted police officers, firefighters, veterinarians, and horse racing staff on how to care for large animals in an accident or emergency.
• Training Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services employees on including pets in sheltering operations and our level one emergency water teams.
• PART secured a grant at the onset of COVID-19 to provide pet food distribution in support of PA’s food banks by distributing food directly to impacted families, through the county offices on aging, and shelter partners.

This enormous amount of work is accomplished with an annual budget of $250,000 which pays to replace and maintain sheltering trailers, crates, volunteer training and one staff member to coordinate 500 volunteers. This partial funding from the Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) for the last 10 years has made it difficult for PART to maintain services and meet the demands of our large Commonwealth. It is for this reason that I am introducing legislation to establish a line item for PART in the state budget to fully fund the program. PART does incredible work with such a small amount of funding. It’s time to recognize the value of PART.


Please join me in cosponsoring this important legislation to provide stability and growth for this statewide resource.